It was Pella, Iowa and it was spectacular.
Towards the end of October, I had just under two weeks until my next Must Attend obligation. Sorting through my options, I settled on Iowa and Nebraska, with the possibility of a couple days in Wyoming. I'd not previously spent much time in either state and mid-autumn seemed like a good time to go, seeing as it was during that brief window of time between blistering heat and frigid cold.
On may way north, I stopped at Thousand Hills State Park near Kirksville, MO, another place I'd never been. It was pretty, but pretty uneventful. I just ambled about and took a few photos.
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| All 6 Friends posing on a dry creek cascade |
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| One match, thankyouverymuch (c: |
A couple relaxing days later, I continued on towards Iowa.
I first heard of Pella while working out possible routes. According to the Iowa by Trail website, only two trails in state have a rating of "difficult". One of them is outside Pella. So, knowing little else, Pella became Iowa destination #1.
I rolled into town around lunchtime on the day before Halloween. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. Pella has a deeply rooted Dutch heritage and that is strongly reflected in the design of its downtown. Everything was so cute and so fantastically cheesy that I could barely contain my giggles as I strolled. I felt like I'd stumbled into a Hallmark Christmas movie or something.
Giddy with enjoyment, I stopped for lunch and texted several friends about this unexpected turn of events. Many replied, but the most enthusiastic responder was Bill, my brother. He is also the biggest Hallmark movie fan I know. Rather than tell you what he said, I'll let our conversation speak for itself:
Tempting though it was, I did not take any of his suggestions. I also ignored suggestions from other friends which included spilling my coffee on unsuspecting men or getting my coat zipper hopelessly stuck and requesting help. Instead, I acted like a civilized, non-desperate person and made my way towards the town square. There I made the most important discovery yet. Right in the center, prominently displayed, was a towering sign that read "Tulip Time".
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| (Side note: I left the joke at the bottom because if I'd remembered it, I would of included as one of my favorite original puns of 2018) |
I later learned that Tulip Time is a huge Dutch Heritage festival Pella hosts every year. It began in the 1930's after the high school performed the original operetta "Tulip Time in Pella". The townsfolk enjoyed the performance so much they decided to make the fun last and created the festival.
I learned this fun fact while touring the Historical Village. It was delightfully quirky in its devotion to the Dutch. I recommend going if you're ever in the area.
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| Pella Town Square |
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| Dutch Window Washer |
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| This poor woman lost her head over Dutch hats! |
As for the "difficult" trail that brought me to Pella, that came the next day. Called the Volksweg Trail (volksweg is Dutch for "people's path"), I honestly don't know why it has a "difficult" rating. The trail is wide and paved. There are hills, but nothing too steep. On my bike, I'd barely need to change gears. Honestly, the most difficult part was that portions were closed due to construction and flooding. It wasn't possible to go straight through, so I had to run it in sections, then drive to the next part. I'd intended to run the length of it, out-and-back, but that wasn't possible.
However, it was pretty and I was able to run most of it. All-in-all a satisfactory outing.
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| Is there? |
Conclusion: Don't underestimate Iowa. (c:
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